In general, women are playful creatures, even if they come off as mean sometimes. They have all sorts of complicated ways to show interest in a man, including pushing him away. The methods women use are hard to understand, because sometimes they are related to negative feelings. When some girls trigger feelings of frustration in a man, they are actually challenging him. It's like reverse psychology, but applied in a very subtle way that only confuses the man.
Here is where natural selection intervenes. Will you be the guy who can tell the difference between "not interested" and "hard to get"? A girl playing hard to get sends mixed signals and tests her admirers multiple times before she reciprocates. That's why it's important for you to be the guy who sees what she's trying to do and who knows how to gain control or play the game in your favor.
Hard to Get or Not Interested?
The time has come for you to easily figure out when a woman is playing games with you or if she's genuinely not interested in you. Once you start to notice her mischief, you can respond by taking control or by turning her game to your advantage.
1. Replying to texts or calling back takes a long time
Girls playing hard to get will take their time to reply to you. You might have to wait a whole day or even longer for her to text you back. Hiding under the pretext of being busy or just involved in things important to her, this girl will make you wait. Her availability is a mystery to you, and she plans on keeping it this way.
The good part about having patience until she sends a message back is that she will, eventually, reply. When she replies, don't try to be the better person and respond right away. Make her wait as well. She will soon ask herself if you lost interest, if you are busy with other women, or other similar questions.
In case she doesn't reply at all, you know the answer. She is simply not interested.
2. She never initiates a conversation
A girl playing hard to get wants you to be the hunter. She wants you to chase her and lure her in ways only a real man would. Also, by not calling or texting first, she evaluates your level of interest. If you like her enough and you're worthy of what she has to offer, you will call again.
What you can do in this situation is to step on your pride and pursue her even more or to stop calling and wait for a reaction. Before you draw the wrong conclusions, give her a few days to see if her interest resurfaces.
3. Her answers are mostly vague
Some women are like open books. They are happy to give concise answers, to explain their emotions, and other similar aspects. However, this does not include women who are hard to get. The latter like to keep most personal things to themselves.
As part of the seduction and selection process, the withholding technique works in their defense. They would like to first listen to you and figure out if you're worth the effort. Is she playing hard to get when she answers vaguely? As long as she replies and doesn't completely ignore you, the answer is yes.
4. She rejects your proposals with excuses
Hanging out with this girl has become harder lately. You might think she has lost interest when she is in fact just testing you. There is a simple way to know for sure. If she gives you no reason at all for not accepting your invitations, then you are right; she is not interested anymore. However, if she always relies on an excuse, regardless of how lame it is, then she is just testing you.
The fact that you can't see the woman you like could make you like her more. This is because you actually have time to miss her between spending time together. This is exactly what she wants - to look busy, independent, and only sometimes available for the right reason.
5. This girl doesn't brag but puts herself in a good light
The psychology behind girls playing hard to get is not that complex. This type of girl doesn't want to lose time with a man who is not ready to invest in her and make efforts. This doesn't mean that she doesn't want you to know about her achievements, to witness her success, or listen to funny stories about a party she has recently attended.
She wants your approval and admiration, and she wants you to chase her further. That's why she puts herself in a desirable light every chance she gets.
6. Making you feel jealous is part of her plan
As if you didn't know already, this girl wants to show you that other men are interested in her. She wants you to know she has options. Childish or not, you know this method works.
However, keep an open eye for times when she is not trying to make you jealous, but she sincerely expresses interest in another man. That's when, my friend, you should back off and shower another girl with your attention and great personality.
7. She touches you, but not too much
The amount of touching between two people of the opposite sex during the courtship process is relative. Even so, if she doesn't touch you at all, then she is probably not interested. A girl playing hard to get is sometimes affectionate. Watch out for light touches on your hands, knees, and other sensitive areas.
Such a girl will delay kissing and further physical contact until you really manage to seduce her. The reason behind this approach is to not give in too soon and lose your interest. She wants to build up tension and tease you to the maximum.
8. Her looks are flawless, always
Play this scenario in your head: the girl you like wears tomboy jeans, no makeup, and her hair is always messy. You keep asking her out, but she refuses or postpones. Her reasons are always related to her work, study, or passions. She doesn't show up randomly at events you had previously invited her to without confirming. All these are signs that she is, in fact, either not interested, genuinely busy, or has other priorities in life.
Now imagine the whole scenario differently: her looks are always flawless. She wears tasteful clothes, and she's not afraid to show off some cleavage. Somehow, whenever you see her, she looks amazing. At a party, she mingles and waits for you to approach her. Your interaction is brief - just enough to keep you interested. All these are signs that she is willingly flaunting her body as well as her social life under your nose.
9. Teasing, being sarcastic, and playing games are her thing
No less than 58 different behaviors are identified as part of playing the game of hard to get. Being sarcastic and at the same time friendly is one of them. More specifically, if this girl is constantly mean to you, but she does so in a sarcastic or funny way, then she likes you. Picking on people we like is a way of luring them into our mental traps.
10. Girls who are hard to get still ask questions
Total disinterest is expressed by a lack of questions. Regardless of how much you want to know about her, she doesn't bother to ask you anything in return. She might politely and vaguely reply to direct questions, texts, or calls. However, she will not ask you any personal questions, because she doesn't care.
The Final Answer
Feeling discouraged is normal, especially when a girl seems interested in you and then barely replies to your texts. However, you can overcome this feeling by figuring out whether she's a player or her interest in you, romantically speaking, is too low.